2024-01-25
Tamara Smith MP, Greens Member for Ballina, is calling on the Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty to take further action to eradicate red-imported fire ants in the Northern Rivers Region.
Fire ants were recently discovered by a local farmer in Wardell, just months after they were sighed in Murwillumbah further north.
Ms Smith is particularly concerned that construction materials, imported at increasing rates following the 2022 floods, have enabled more ways for fire ants to be quickly transported across long distances.
Residents who suspect they have seen fire-ants should call the Department of Primary Industries on 1800 680 244, or go to the DPI website at https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/dpi/bfs/insect-pests/rifa for more information.
Tamara Smith MP, Greens Member for Ballina, said:
We must take urgent action to stamp out fire-ants and prevent a potential environmental catastrophe.
Since the floods, we’ve been transporting construction materials at record rates. That’s created a number of opportunities to spread fire ants across the region. It’s important that the NSW government inspects every post-flood inspection site to make sure fire ants have not spread further.
I’ve written to the Minister for Agriculture to express my concerns, and I will continue to raise this issue in Macquarie Street.
These ants can kill wildlife, kill pets, and devastate our local agriculture industry. We should spare no expense in stamping these ants out, or else we’re looking at much more expensive implications for the community down the road.
I'm confident Minister Moriarty will treat this issue with the urgency it deserves, and I look forward to working with the government on this issue.
Ends.